The Top 8 in the studio: A track-by-track review

Here's a nice surprise: As the number of remaining American Idol finalists drops, so does the price of the compilation albums on iTunes. This week's set from the Top 8 is just $5.99. Did the Idols fare differently in the studio than they did on the stage? Let's check them out:

BETTER THAN THE SHOW

Haley Reinhart, Call Me. Contrary to what the judges implied, Haley didn't have Wednesday's worst performance, and she just might have the week's best recording. It's an excellent update of the tune that still remains faithful to Blondie's 1980 original.

Jacob Lusk, Bridge Over Troubled Water. Jacob's vibrato got the best of him live, but he sounds subtle and more nuanced here. The arrangement's great, too, with strings, a choir and a piano recorded so live you can hear every time the pianist lifts his foot off the sustain pedal.

Paul McDonald, Old Time Rock and Roll. Well, Wednesday's mix makes more sense now: The opening bars of the track actually are all guitar and drums. This couldn't very well have been worse than the live performance, but it's still a far cry from Bob Seger's original and not different enough to preclude comparison.

ABOUT THE SAME

James Durbin, Heavy Metal. Wednesday's smartest selection loses nothing in the translation to the studio. This isn't just a good Idol track, it's a good old-school metal track. James' is now officially the first album from this season I'm excited to hear.

Casey Abrams, Nature Boy. The piano-trio vibe here is cool and intimate. Vocally, Casey's more restrained than he was during the live performance, but he still has a tendency to exaggerate his delivery.

Lauren Alaina, The Climb. Whether or not Lauren's a better pure singer than Miley Cyrus is up for debate (personally, I think Miley's a better vocalist than she usually gets credit for being), but she does a fine job with her cover, even if she doesn't really bring anything new to the song. And, if you're one of the ones who don't think Miley's much of a singer, that probably says something.

Stefano Langone, The End of the Road. About what you'd expect after hearing him sing it live -- decent job, but neither the vocal nor the production is as soulful or romantic as Boyz II Men's hit version.

Scotty McCreery, I Cross My Heart. George Strait delivers this song with an easy confidence that's hard to beat; Scotty just sounds like he's trying too hard. If he keeps working at it, one of these days he's going to be a great country singer. Still wish he had gone with Everybody's Talkin', though.

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About Brian Mansfield

Nashville-based Brian Mansfield began writing about music for USA TODAY in 1997 and took over Idol Chatter just before the start of Season 8. He co-authored Make Me a Star: Industry Insiders Reveal How to Make It in Music, and while he has never auditioned for American Idol, he did sing Boot Scootin' Boogie at Disney World's American Idol Experience the day the attraction opened (he lost). More about Brian | E-mail Brian